Signaling apparatus.



C. G. ENDER 6!. G. A. BARBER.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 18, 1916.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916 2 SHEETS5HEET l.

i-wuewtozs 6. 61 7111119? and G-A-BdTZ 5% W 5 atto'wum C. G. ENDER & G. A. BARBER.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. .2, I916.

1,210,283. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cam. G. ENDED AND GUY A. BARBER, OI WILKINSIBUBG, PENTTSYLVANIA.

SIGNALING APPABATUS.'

Application filed February 18, 19l8. Serial No. 79,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL G. Emma and GUY A. BARBER, citizens of the United States, residing at Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,'have invented new and useful Improvements in Signaling A paratus, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to a signaling apparatus and more particularly to a signal apparatus for vehicles by means of which the person in the rear may be given visual indication as to the speed of the preceding vehicle or whether the same is to turn to the right or the left.

The primary object of the invention is to accomplish the foregoing result in a very simple manner automatically.

An object of the invention is to provide a signal system automatic in its operation, that is to say, the movable parts of which receive their motion from a portion of the mechanism of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signaling mechanism the operation of which depends upon the movement of a portion of the steering mechanism of the vehicle and upon movement of the butterfly valve of the carbureter. Thus it will be seen that should the vehicle turn to the right or left through the action of the steering mechanism portions of our invention will be rendered active or should the throttle valve of the carbureter be actuated another portion.

- pended.

' In the drawing, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an automobile showing our signal box attached thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrammatic views showing how portions of our invention are connected to portions of.

the vehicle. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of one form of our switch. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of switch. Ifi'g. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring used when the form of switch illustrated in Fig. 4 is used. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring used when the form of switch illustrated in Fig. 50f the drawing is used.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view thro one I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

form of the switch and Fig. 9 is a sectional the box, said letter representing the word left. Arranged in another of the compartments is an electric bulb 5 directly behind the word slow also formed in the cover. Arranged in another of thecompartments is an electric bulb 6 directly behind the letter R formed in the cover and such letter denotes that the vehicle is going to turn to the right. The remaining compartment has mounted therein the ordinary tail light 7.

We provide means whereby either of the bulbs 3 or 6 may be illuminated for indicating the direction in which the vehicle is going to turn and other mechanisms where by the bulb 5 may be illuminated during the travel of the vehicle below 'a predetermined speed.

The numeral 8 indicates the frame of a vehicle of the automobile type upon which the switch which is one element of our invention is supported. y

We will first describe the mechanism for automatically ener 'zing the bulbs 3 and 6 and then the mec anism for illuminating the bulb 5. E: U

Secured to a portion of the steering mechanism as indicated at 9 is a clamp 10 to which is secured one. end of a. turn buckle 11. This turn buckle 11 has a universal joint connection 12 at one end to a rod 13 that in turn supports a wiper. 14; This wiper 14 or contact strip atv one end continuously engages a contact-strip 15 while the remaining end of the wiper is arranged to alternately engage the contactstrips 16 and 17 Referring to one of the diagrammatic views it will be seen that the contact strip '15 is connected to one pole of the batthe contact strip '16 is electrically connected vtery 18 by means of the conductor 19 while to the bulb 3 by means of ,the conductor '20.

whereas the contact strip connected to the bulb-6 by means of the 17 is electrically conductor 21. Thus it will be seen that the lamp or bulbs 3 and 6 may be automati- I cally energized by moving the wiper 14: to

I of which has an adjustable connection with the pivoted arm 25 of the switch 26. This switch 26 is so constructed that during the predetermined movement of the throttle valve from closed position the switch will be closed for illuminating the bulb 5 through the conductor 27 that has a connection with the battery 18. Upon the speed of the vehicle reaching a predetermined degree or in other words the butterfly valve has been opened a predetermined degree the arm will be thrown to an open position with the result that the bulb 5 is deenergized.

It may be found advantageous to combine the switch 26 and switch 28 into a single article such as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing wherein it will be seen that the contact strips 15, 16 and 17 are grouped close together so asrto cooperate with one extremity of a lever 29 that has its remaining end pivotally connected to the base 30. Also having one end pivotally connected to the base 30 is an arm 31, the remaining extremity of which cooperates with an arcuate shaped contact strip 32 and at this point we wish to call attention to the fact that the arm 31 and contact strip 32 takes the place of the switch 26. To simplify the electrical connection we have shown the contact strip 15 electrically connected to the contact strip 32 by means of the metallic connection 33. Connected to the arm 29 is a rod 34 connected in any suitable manner to a portion of the steering mechanism while a similar rod 35 is connected to the arm 31 and is either connected to the rod that controls the butterfly valve of the carbureter or is connected directly to the butterfly valve.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing the advantages of the construction and the method of operation will be readily apparcut to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and while we have described the principle of operation of the in vention together with the device which we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof we desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is 1. A signaling system for automobiles comprising a pair of arcuate contact strips, a pair of spaced contacts associated with one strip, a single contact associated with the other strip, conductors each having one terminal grounded and the other connected to a contact, a signal lamp in each conductor, a battery having one terminal grounded and the other terminal connected to both strips, and switch blades for independently bridging the distance between the strips and their associated contacts.

2. A signaling system for automobiles comprising a pair of arcuate contact strips, a pair of spaced contacts associated with one strip, a single contact associated with the other strip, conductors each having one terminal grounded and the other connected to a contact, a signal lamp in each conductor, a battery having one terminal grounded and the other terminal connected to both strips, switch blades for independently bridging the distance between the strips and their associated contacts, and rods connecting said blades with the butterfly valve arm and with a portion of the steering mechanism of the automobile.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses;

CARL G. LENDER. GUY A. BARBER. Witnesses:

MARGARET WAGNER, J. E. MCKEENEN. 

